1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a detection axis of an object detection system in which an object detection means has a predetermined detection direction and is fixed within a casing having a reference plane on an outer face thereof.
2. Related Art
When mounting a radar system in a vehicle having an ACC system (i.e., Adaptive Cruise Control system), a Stop & Go system (i.e., congested traffic tracking system), an intervehicular warning system, and the like, if the direction of an object detection axis of the radar system is not properly aligned with the direction of a preset target object detection axis, the radar system will suffer from several disadvantages. For example, the radar system can malfunction and erroneously detect an oncoming vehicle in an adjacent lane, or the radar system does not operate and essentially detects only a road surface, an overpass, or a signboard without detecting a preceding vehicle. It is therefore necessary to ensure the direction of the object detection axis of the radar system is aligned with the direction of the target object detection axis.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-326495 discloses an arrangement wherein to perform accurate vertical aiming of the radar system object detection axis, the angle of an antenna mounted on a vehicle body is measured by a level and adjusted to maintain the correct vertical angle.
When aiming is performed by measuring the mounting angle of a radar system casing relative to a vehicle body using a level or the like, the object detection axis of a radar mechanism part installed within the casing must have a fixed relationship with the casing. However, due to errors during assembly, variations in the direction of the object detection axis are generated in the assembled radar systems. Furthermore, even by correctly adjusting the mounting angle of the casing on the vehicle body, the variations undesirably result in the direction of the object detection axis being misaligned with the target object detection axis.